Alex Halow Immigration Attorney — www.k1fianceevisas.com
Member of AILA, American Immigration Lawyers Association

K1 Visa Processing Times:

The time required to obtain a K1 visa depends in part on where you reside in the U.S. Where you live dictates which of two United States Citizenship and Immigration Services ("USCIS") service centers will be processing your case. These centers have different processing backlogs, which can vary over time. In addition, there can be some lag between the time your K1 visa petition is approved by the USCIS and the time the case arrives at the relevant consulate. Finally, the total processing time for the K1 visa will also depend on the country the fiancee is from; some consulates are much busier (and thus take longer to process visa applications) than others.

The USCIS processing reports for July 16, 2007 give the following processing times for K1 visas:

CALIFORNIA SERVICE CENTER:

Accepts K1 filings from Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, and is currently working on K1 visa applications received on or before January 13, 2007.

VERMONT SERVICE CENTER:

Accepts K1 filings from Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, U.S. Virgin Islands, West Virginia, and D.C., and is currently working on K1 visa applications received on or before January 13, 2007.

K3 Visa Processing Times:

As of July 30, 2007, all K3 visa applications are being submitted to the USCIS Service Center where the underlying I-130 Petition is pending. Each of the four USCIS Service Centers is likely to have a different processing time.

There can be a lag between the approval of the K3 petition and the time when the case arrives at the relevant consulate. The total processing time will also depend on the country where your spouse resides, because some consulates are much busier (and thus take longer to process visa applications) than others.

As of early August 2007, no precise processing data is being reported by USCIS for K3 visas.

Processing Time Estimates:

Although it is impossible to guarantee a precise processing time for K1 and K3 visas, it is possible to come up with an accurate estimate by taking the USCIS processing reports and other factors mentioned above into account. I will always try to provide you with an accurate estimate of processing time at the outset of your case. I also periodically monitor the processing times at the various service centers and consulates, and I will warn you if for any reason the USCIS or relevant consulate appears to be experiencing processing delays.

The information on this web site regarding immigration, K1 fiancee visas, and K3 spouse visas is general, and cannot be substituted for legal advice.